Needle



Sept. 20, 1932. s. A. TREJO v 1,878,915

NEEDLE Original fil ed Sept. 26. 1929 I J l0 ig M 1 a i i Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED] ATES ATf STELLA .A. TREJ'O OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR or FIFTY-FIVE PER cn nr TO WILLIAM B. LESLIE, or KANSAS CITY,'MISSO'URI' 4 .NEEDLE Application filed September 26,1929, Serial No. 395,306. "Renewed August 8, 1932.

This invention relates to improvements in needles and it consists of theconstructions, combinations and arrangements herein de scribed and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a needle primarilyintended for use insewing machines but possessing characteristics which are conceivably capable of being embodied in needles of other types;

Anotherobjectof the invention, and one bearing directly on the preceding statement, is to provide a needle capable ofbeing threaded instantly, the construction being such that chafing of the thread in the eye and consequent breakage thereof when the needle is in use is obviated.

A further object :of the invention isnto provide a needle of the so-called self-threading kind in which the spring arm, which is.

one 7 of the outstanding characteristics, is prevented from unrestricted outward movement, hence the likelihood ofsnapping off While the needle is in use, by the provision of a lug or hump that" has engagement in a.

recess in the body of the needle.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference be-m ing had to the accompanying drawing,in

whichz v t Figure 1 is'a front elevation on an enlarged scale of the improved needle. t Fig. 2 is a side elevation] on a still further enlarged scale, particularly illustrating the several outstanding improvements.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on theline 3-3ofFig.2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line.

fF r Fig. 5 is a-cross-sectiontaken on the line 55' of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken on the'li'ne 6'6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

known as aheel.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 8'8 of Fig. 2.

As previously indicated, the needle herein to hold a portion of the thread under tension and direct it to the needle eye, thus avoiding the" laborious and nerve-straining operation. of'thrusti'ng the pointed end of a thread di-" rectly through the eye. In the foregoing respect, the present needle is an improvement on the needle disclosed in an application filed by Stella A. Trejo, May 2, 1929, Serial No.

Attention is directed to the drawing. The

shank 10 and head 11 are parts of a sewing machine needle of more or less conventional style. The needle is pointed at 12 and has an eye 13 into which it is proposed to introduce the thread 1 1 without the necessity of pointing the thread and thrusting it through according to a familiar performance.

. As will-be observed by comparing the series of cross-sectional'views in Figs. 3"to 7, in-' elusive, the needle shank is cylindrical for the major portion of its length but gradually flattens to an oval shape as the fabric penetrating point 12 is approached. A portion 1 5 of. one edge of the needle shank is made plane or level inthe direction of the minor axis, audit is against this plane portion that the" correspondingly plane surface] of: a

spring arm 16 bears. The upper terminal'of this spring arm is either roundedat 17 or otherwise so formed that a thread when properly held under tension is readily slipped therebehind preparatory to pressing or forcing it downwardly through a partof a channel that the v.confronting' 'surfaces 1'5 and 16- afiord. I a

.A portion ofthe body of the shank 10 is rounded at. 18 to produce what might be Itis at a region 19 adjoining the heel thatthe' spring arm 16 has its origin. In other words, the region 19is the L. port which the heel 18 afiords.

base of the spring arm. The base 19 merges with and forms part of a horn 20 that extends in the direction of the longitudinal center of the needle and terminates ina point 2-1 at one side of the eye 13. This point fits between and is largely concealed by a pair of lips 22 which comprisea part of the needle and in the manufacture ofthe. latter are simply pressed inwardly far enough to partly encompass the point 21, as plainly shown in Figs. 2, 7 and-8, From the latter itwill be observed'that the'passage of thread out of the thread channel will not be restricted by.

either the point 21 or the lips 22, The primary purpose of the lips is vto guard the point 21. It would be undesirable to have the point 21 project into the eye 13 even to the the likelihood of the point; catching the thread with the perpetual possibility of breaking it during the course of sewing. "But by employing the lips 22, the thread Will be caused to ride over and pass the point with no likelihod whatever of chafing it.

engageable in a recess-2et that is formed in the body of the shank between a pair of lips (Fig. 8), similar inprinciple to the lips 22; The purpose of the hump 23 is to prevent undue bending or yieldingof the spring arm 16 away'from the body of the shank. It

is intended'to keep thehorn 20 substantially in the position shown. Were it not for the provision of the hump 23 there mightbe the possibility-of breaking of-thevbase 19 at'the point 26 from the remainder of the needle surrounding the eye 13.

Breaking of the needle at the point 27 in the act of sewing is also prevented by'the sup- The base 10 and horn 2 0 are relatively broad in the region of the eye 13, and by virtue of having bearing up against the heel 18 are held so firmly that there is little likelihood of breaking at the point 27 when sewing heavy goods.

o i The operation 7 is readily understood Of necessity thespring arm is resilient at least to the degree of'yielding sufficiently when a thread is in troduced to the entrance between'athe channel from the rounded end 17 to the eye'13; The

space between the body of the shank and the spring arm 16, base 19, horn 20 and point 21 :is known "as a channel through which the thread is slid-in the'act ofthreading the needle. 1 3 I i The mode of doing this would be to so ad just the fingers of the hand as'to hold a por tion ofthe thread under tension. This portion is then-hooked around the rounded end 17 and slid down th'elong part ofthe chan' nel, around the heel-18,'over'the 'hump 23, around the horn 20; and" down -around the point 21 until it occupies theieye 13. By vir vstraight-acrossposition so that principally n .has been stated that the hump prevents outw slightest extent because then there would be tue of the constrictions to the channel that the hump 23 and point 21 present, it is necessary to adjust the thread from its originally these configurations can be negotiated.

For example, it'can be understood from Fig. 8 that the thread will be pulled toward one side of the needle .in such a way that the components thereof are at rather sharp angles to each other.. In this way, the thread is readily sliped around the point ;21 until it enters the eye. The thread would be conveyed around the hump 23 in a similar mannene Emphasis is, to'be lai'd'jon' the hump 23 for its'stabilizing function. It

ward bending of the spring arm 16 sothat breaking at the point 26in particular will be I D of the base of the spring arm atrig'ht angles- 7 A lug or hump 23 formed on the horn 20 1s to the plane of thepaper. 1 v

In practice, the channel between the body made spacious enough toreadily permit the s'liding'in of thethread. It is-also a matter of mechanical perfection to so round the various cornersandother parts of the needle that cutting of the thread will not be possible;

a In conclusion, it isobs'erved that a generous portion of the contour of the needle eye 13 is defined by the base 19. By virtue of this cir-' cumstance, it is essential to have the base of ample proportions so that breaking will not,

occuranywhere along the line of separation of the base from the shank 10; This function is aided in'a large measureby the engagement of the humpi23 in the recess 24. I

While the construction and arrangement of the improvedneedle is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes maybe made without departing r from the spirit of'the'invention and the scope of theclaims. V

I claim 1 ,1. A needle comprising a pointedshank having an; eye and a recess, a .resilientarmhaving a horn and a base connected with the shank and defining a part of the contour ofthe eyej, anda hump on the horn loosely engaging the recessjto limit outward move-' ment' of the arm. 1 by .2; Aneedle comprising a pointed shank havingan eye and a recess, a resilientfarm having: albase .connected with theshank and a1 hornhaving apoint confronting a part of the shank, saidhorn and shank defining a part of "the contour of the eye and defining with the arm a channel for the passageof thread, a humpon thehorn looselyengagin the recess, and aipair of lips on the shank guarding and receiving the point therebetween.

3. A needle comprising a pointed shank having part of an eye, a heel in a medial line with the point, a resilient arm connected With the shank, a base comprising part of the arm at which the arm is connected with the shank, and a horn extending from the base beneath the heel and in the direction of and beyond the longitudinal center of the shank, 7

said base and-horn being formed to complete the eye.

STELLA A. TREJO. 

